It seems to have replaced older photographs as the go-to image of Tubman in contemporary representations, as here she is more aligned with conventional beauty standards for women in the late 19th century. The recently discovered photograph from the 1860s is the earliest known photo of Tubman, and it captures her in a different phase of her life, when she may have been more fashion conscious. Portrait of Harriet Tubman, photographed by Horatio Seymour Squyer, circa 1885. Perhaps by then, her economic struggles-which continued until her death-may have taken their toll and is captured in her subdued expression. Seymour Squyer in Auburn, New York, in 1885, we see an expressionless Tubman draped in all black, her only accessory being a printed headwrap. For example, in a carte de visite taken by H. Perhaps this photo represents a more hopeful Harriet Tubman forging a life post-emancipation.Īs such, it marks a departure from the older, more resigned veteran of the African American freedom struggle we see in later photos, which picture Tubman in more sober color palettes, sometimes giving her the appearance of being in mourning. She does not meet the eye of the viewer she rather looks askance just left of the photographer. It shows us a younger, more feminine Tubman, dressed on trend for the 1860s in a plaid caged crinoline gown.
This carte de visite probably dates from between 18, when Tubman was approximately 45 years old. However, in 2017, a recently discovered photograph of her was auctioned at Swann Galleries, and it shows us a new side of Tubman. In most of the surviving photographs of Tubman, we see her as a stoic freedom fighter and abolitionist. The iconic figure of Harriet Tubman supersedes the factual details of her life: There is the real Harriet Tubman and there is how she is remembered, which looms larger. The white Hollywood star Julia Roberts was once even suggested to play the role of the Underground Railroad conductor by a studio executive who apparently was not aware that Tubman was Black. In 2019, Cynthia Erivo starred in the feature-length biopic Harriet, directed by Kasi Lemmons.
BLACK FASHION ART SERIES
In 2017, Aisha Hinds portrayed her in the second season of the TV series Underground. Present-day representations of Harriet Tubman abound. Explore the interactive groundbreaking site here. 1, and culminating on March 10, the Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Project pays tribute to this feminist icon with a special commemorative issue through Ms.
Portrait of Harriet Tubman, in Emily Howland photograph album, circa 1868, discovered in 2017. (Library of Congress)Įditor’s note: Launching Tuesday, Feb.
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